Newsletter #4 and #5

“In his view, we were already a success, because we were doing something hard and it was something that mattered to us. You don’t measure things like that with words like success or failure, he said. Satisfaction comes from trying hard things and then going on to the next hard thing, regardless of the outcome. What mattered was whether or not you were moving in a direction you thought was right.”

― Kristin Kimball, The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

Happy Friday Everyone! 

Whew! We’ve gotten a lot done around the farm recently (last weeks newsletter was not one of those things, sorry!) that we’re excited to share with you! 
 
First, you may have noticed some bruising on your peas, some holes in the beet leaves, and no kale last week. That’s due to a huge hailstorm that hit the farm mere hours after harvesting shares a few weeks back. We joked at the beginning of the season that we don’t have control over a hailstorm destroying all our crops- and that example unfortunately came true.  Most things have bounced back even after moderate damage. However, we couldn’t salvage any of the lettuce we had planted as it was completely mangled. They didn’t go to waste though as the chickens and rabbits had a feast. What it does mean, however, is that our planting schedule is thrown off and will leave a longer gap in between lettuce harvests then we anticipated. We quickly seeded new trays of lettuce though so expect those to be ready in the following weeks.  
 
On a positive note, we were finally able to get a HUGE project finished that we’ve been working on- irrigation! I know that may not seem all that exciting or transformational but it’s a total dream come true to a farmer! For the past several years our primary watering system was dragging a hose all around the farm and watering by hand. This process would take a minimum of 1.5 hours every single night during the summer and was always so draining! Our new set up includes drip irrigation in the garden, soaker hoses in the greenhouse and raised beds, and an overhead watering system in the food forest (which is still temporary until we are able to setup a permanent sprinkler system). The only thing we have to hand water now is our baby starts and our nursery stock. The entire system is on a timer too which means consistent watering and the ability for our family to go on weekend trips without worry. Additionally, it means that we’re reducing our overall water needs and maximizing our time. We’re all about that efficiency on a micro-farm! 
 
We hope you all are enjoying this mild weather! The peppers and tomatoes are starting to fruit which means summer is here and I’m sure the heat will be following shortly. Have a great week everyone and happy Summer Solstice!

Your Farmers,
Shannon, Taylor and Juniper Kane
Wild Grown Farm

How To Prepare and Cook Fava Beans

This week I'm going to do something a little different! Below are links to five great explanations about how to prepare and cook fava beans. I know, these things may seem strange, and a wee bit of a chore, but they are soooo delicious when prepared correctly. We hope you find these resources helpful. Also, if you come across a recipe that you love throughout the season let us know! We love to learn about new ways to cook in season :) 

1. The Spruce Eats "All About Fava Beans"
2. Fine Dining Lover's "Fava Bean Facts"
2. New York Times Article on Fava Beans
3. Tori Avey Article on Fava Beans
4. Butter Milk Farm's CSA Recipes